2011 NHL Entry Draft: Canucks Select Nicklas Jensen in First Round

I’ll be honest. I didn’t think Nicklas Jensen would last to the no. 29 pick. I didn’t even consider it.

Going into the draft, Jensen was ranked 21st by NHL Central Skating, 22nd by International Scouting services, 24th by TSN and 19th by The Hockey News.

Already 6’2″ and 188 lbs., he’s a power forward-type with good hands and good skill. He’s known as a smart hockey player too, which I’m sure GM Mike Gillis liked.

Jensen, who plays for the Oshawa Generals, just finished a fairly productive first season in the OHL. He recorded 29 goals and 58 points in 61 games. He added another 7 goals (team lead) and 11 points in the OHL playoffs.

The 6-foot-3, 185 pound right winger is recognized as a strong two-way forward with a lethal combination of great shooting skills and smooth skating. He is projected to develop into a playmaker at the NHL level because of his vision and ability to find his linemates in tight areas. One area that scouts criticized early in the season was his lack of consistency from game-to-game. Although he will need to round out that aspect of his game, there is no doubting his potential based on his play as of late.

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